Improvement in knitting-machines



7 Sheets--Sheet 1.

Knitting-Machines.

Paten-ted May 20,1873.

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Knitting-Machines.

Patented May 20,1873- Fl G2.

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Knitting-Machines.

110.139,114. Patentedmayzonsa.

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W. GAMPIDKN & W. CAMPIDN.

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Knitting-Machines.

Patented May 20,1873.

AM, PHoTa-m/lomP/i/c co. 14x( oseamvs moms) 7 Sheets--Sheet 6,

w. AMPmN @L w. cA'MPmN. Knitting-Machines.

N0. 139,114. PatentedMay 20,1873.

Knitting-Machines.

Patented May 20,1873.

AM. P/-la mamas/wma ca Mx (osaonrvfle Fnufssi) UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM cAMPIoN, or NOTTINGHAM, AND WILLIAM cAMPIoN, or sNEIN- ToN, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT lN KNlTTlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,114, dated May 20, 1873; application led August' 23, me.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CAMPIoN, of the town and county ofv Nottingham, England, sewing-machine manufacturer, and WILLIAM UAMPION, of Sneinton, in the count-y of Nottngham, England, mechanic, have invented certain Improvements in Knitting-Machinery, of which the following is a specification:

Nature and Object of the Invent/ion.

This invention has for its object a novel arrangement and combination of machinery or apparatus for knitting, whereby great simplicity is obtained, a good quality of work is produced, and facility is afforded for narrowing the work, as required, by self-acting means. Our invention mainly applies to that description of machine in which a combination of needles, hooks, jacks, sinkers, and presser is employed, but is also applicable to other descriptions of knitting-machinery. The hooks are cast in leads, the jacks work in two sleys, one of which is cast in leads, while the other is formed by the upper ends of some of the sinkers. The ends of the jacks are rounded or otherwise formed to work within suitable hollows, formed in alternate sinkers, (which we will7 for convenience, call the jack-sinkers,) which sink a loop on every alternate needle. The sinkers, intermediate of the jacksinkers, are fixed in a bar which is out to receive them, and forms a sley to allow the jacksinkers to work in. When the jack-sinkers have sunk the loops on every alternate needle. the bar-sinkers come down with the bar and divide the loops. This sinker-bar works in guides formed in or fixed to the frame, and is operated by levers fixed on a shaft, on which is fixed another lever or levers, worked by a suitable cam or cams on the main shaft. The hook-bar is carried by the front ends of levers, mounted on necks or axes fixed to the framing, the other ends of these `levers being provided with rollers or-trucks to work on suit-able cams on the main shaft, by which the hook-bar is operated 5 these levers being held up to the cams by springs. A lifting-bar is attached to the hook-bar to lift the jacks at the same time that' the hook-bar rises. 'ihe lockerbar is carried by the same levers which operate the sinkerbar. The presser-bar, which works at the back of the sinkers, is carried by levers, which work on the before-mentioned necks or axes. These levers are also provided with trucks or rollers, and are operated by cams fixed on the main shaft. The needle-bar is carried in the following` manner: A shaft running through the frame has levers fixed thereon, one or more of f 0n the end of this eccentric-shaft is mounted aV wheel or segment with teeth on the side and on the periphery. On the same shaft is fixed a spring-catch, which works in the teeth on the side ot' the wheel or segment, to regulate the stiffness of the work, by turning the shaft, and then by raising or lowering the needle-har. A stop-lever, tixed on the frame, drops 4into one or other of the teeth formed on the edge of the wheel or segment. By lifting the said stop-lever out of the teeth, the wheel or segment, and consequently the eccentric-shaft, may be turned around in either direction, and when a slack course is made the segment or wheel is turned back to the same place and there held by the stop-lever. The drawing apparatus is arranged and worked in the following Inanner: A beveled wheel on the main shaft takes into and gives motion to a bevelwheel iixed onacross-shaft working in suitable bearings. 0n this cross-shaft isfixed a cam, which works aslide or bolt to and fro. 0n this slide or bolt are formed or fixed teeth which work a pinion fixed on one end of another cross-shaft, on the other end ot' which is fixed a wheel with two grooves in its periphery. To this wheel, the ends of two cords are attached, the other ends` of which are attached to the yarn-carrier a-nd slurcock, and thereby work them to and fro. 'lhe slurcock is fixed to a slide working on a bar which is attached to the frame. The said slide carries two bolts; the cords are attached to one of' Jthe bolts and the yarn-carrier to the other. The bolt to which the cords are attached has inclined ends and is provided with two arms or projections and the bolt to which the yarncarrier is attached, has two recesses formed therein, in which recesses the arms or projections fall at suitable times. This is effected by stops or projections fixed to the shifter-bars, which act to stop the yarn-carrier bolt and to lift the other bolt to cause one arm or projection to rise out of, and the other to fall into, one or other of the recesses in the carrier-needle bolt. The narrowin ,Q1 apparatus is constructed and operated in the following manner: A shaft, running through the frame, has arms fixed thereon, which arms carry another shaft having other arms attached thereto. These said arms carry two bars, to which the points or shif'ters are fixed. These shifter or point bars are worked by a toothed pinion, which takes into a rack formed on, or fixed to, each of the shifter-bars, and causes the shifter-bars to move to and fro endwise, so as to expand or close them, to shift the loops off some ofthe needles onto others. A ratchetwheel istixed on the axis of the toothed pinion and this ratchetwheel is rotated, for operating the shifter-bars, by a clawker, operated by a cam; which clawker is caused to rotate the ratchet-wheel by means of Jacquard apparatus, which acts upon the main shaft to move it endwise, and thereby to bring another set of cams, as is well understood, into operation, when desired, for narrowing, and take them out of operation when the narrowing is completed; the cam f'or operating the clawker being also fixed on such shaft; and, in order that our said invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into eifectmwe will proceed, aided by .the aceompanying` drawing, more fully to describe the same.

Description of the Drawing.

Figure l is a front view. Figs. 2 and 3 are opposite end views. Fi". 4t is a cross section on the line l l of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional view, showing the working-instruments to a larger scale. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan. Fig. 7 is a back view of' parts, and Fig. S is a top View of other parts, of a kniting-macl1ine having our improvements applied thereto 5 and Fig. 9 is a sectional view to a larger scale, showing our preferred apparatus for giving the dip to the carrierneedle.

a a are the needles, which are cast in leads al, carried by bars c2, as heretofore. These bars a2 are supported partly by the rod bl, carried by a shaft, b, which is formed with eccentric ends or necks turning in bearings b2, carried by the main framing A. The needle-bar a2 is also fixed to arms a3, keyed or otherwise fixed upon a shaft or axis, a4, carried at the upper ends of levers a5, which, at their lower ends, are keyed or otherwise fixed to a shaft or axis, a6, turning 1n bearings carried by the main framing A. One or both of these levers a5 are provided with trucks or rollers a7, which are acted upon by a cam or cams, a, fixed on the drivingshaft or axis c when the narrowing lapparatus is out of action, and by a cam or cams, a9, when the narrowing apparatus is in action. 0n one end of the eccentric shaft or axis b is loosely mounted a segment, b3, (or it may be a wheeh) having teeth or notches b4 on the periphery thereof, and teeth or notches b5 on the side thereof. )n the shaft b is fixed a spring-catch, b, which works in the teeth or notches b5, to regulate the stiffness of the work by turning the shaft b, and, thereby, raising and lowering the needle-bar c2. A stop-lever, bf, fixed on an axis, b, on the main framing, drops into one or other of the teethor notches b4. By lifting` the said stop-lever bl out of the teeth or notches b4, the segment b3 and, consequently, the eccentric shaft, may be turned around in either direction, as may be required; and when a slack course has been made, the segment b3 is turned back to the same place at which it formerly stood, and is there held by the stoplever bl. d are the jacks, which are carried by a rod or wire, (11, and work in a sley, d2, east in leads; and their forward ends may be forked, as shown at Fig. 5, to embrace a stud or projection, f1, from one side of each of the intermediate or jack sinkers f; but we prefer to form them rounded, as shown at Fig. 9, to take into suitable hollows formed at the top of the jack-sinkers f. In this case, the bar-sinkers g are lengthened at their upper parts to form a sley for the jacks to work in, as will be well understood. rlhe sinkers g, intermediate of the jack-sinkers f,"

are fixed in a bar, g1, which is suitably cut to receive them, and, at the same time, forms a sley to allow the jack-sinkers to work in. When the jack-sinkers j' have sunk a loop on every alternate needle a, the bar-sinkers g come down with the bar g1 and divide the loops. This sinker-bar g1 works in guides g2, formed on or fixed to the framing A, and is lowered by levers h, mounted on a shaft or axis t', working in bearings formed in or carried by the main framing A. Springs gact np.)n the bar gl to raise it after the levers h have acted to lower it. On the axis i is fixed another 1ever or levers h1, worked by a cam h2 on the ma-in shaft c for ordinary work, and by a cam, h3, when the narrowing apparatus is in action. j are the hooks which are cast in leads jl, fixed to the hook-bar j?. The hook-bar j2 is carried by levers j3 mounted on.necks or axes 7u, fixed to the main framing A. vided with trucks or rollers j4, resting on cams ji j on the main shaft c, by which the hookbarj2 is operated. The hookbar is operated by the cam )'5 for ordinary work, and by the cam i6 for narrowing. Z is a lifting-bar, which,

by wires Z1, rests on the hook-bar jz, and acts to lift the jacks at the saine time that the hookbar jl rises. m is the locker-bar carried by the levers L, which operate the sinker-bar g1. 'a is the presser-bar, which works at the back of the sinkers f and g, and is carried by levers rlhese levers are proal mounted loosely on the necks or axes 7c. These levers al are provided with trucks or rollers a2, which rest on cams afbywhich the presser-bar is operated for ordinary avork, such trucks or rollers a2 restin g on the cylindrical bosses n4 of the cams a3, and communicating no motion to the presser-bar when the narrowing apparatus is at work.

The drawing apparatus is arranged and worked in the following manner: A beveled pinion, o, on the main shaftc takes into and gives motion to beveled wheel 191 iixed on one end of cross-shaft, p, on the other end of which is fixed a cam or wiper, p2, which acts against trucks or rollers p2, carried by a slide or bolt,rv p4, to work suoli bolt or slide to and fro. On the under side of this slide or bolt are formed or iixed teeth p5 which work a pinion, q1, fixed on one end of another cross-shaft 1, on the other end of which is fixed. a wheel, q2, with two grooves formed in its periphery. To this wheel q2 the ends of two cords g3 are attached, the other ends of which are attached to a bolt, r1, carried by the slide r to which the slurcock r2 is fixed. The cords g3 thereby work the yarn-carrier rx and the slurcock to and fro. The slider' r works on a bar, s, which is fixed to the main framing. Within guides in this slide work the bolt r1, before referred to, anda bolt, r3, to which the carrier-plate lrt is attached. The bolt r1 has inclined ends T5. For carrying and operating` the carrier r* we connect said carrier (see Fig. 10) with plate r4 by means of piece r, mounted upon a rod or axis, r2". This rod or axis T20 is mounted in arms or brackets 1121, iixed to t'le slide or bolt'r, and has fixed upon it other arms or levers, T22, the outer ends of which are forked as shown, to lit freely a rod, T23, thereby enabling the levers T22 to slide freely on the rod T23 in the to-and-fro motion of the bolt or slide r3. This rod 1'23 is carried by arms or levers T24, fixed to a shaft or axis, T25, which is 'mounted in bearings carried by the main framing of the machine. On this shaft or axis T25 is also fixed a lever, T26, whichis operated by a cam, T27, when the narrowing apparatus is out of action, and by a cam, r2, when the narrowing apparatus is in action. A spring, T29, acts tokeep the lever r26 up to the cams T27 and r2". That portion of the cam T28 non-coincident with cam T27 is shown by dotted lines. The thread or yarn passes through a hole in the upper end of the plate r4 and to the carrier rx.

By the device above described great facility is aiforded for adjusting the dip ofthe carrier. In order, however, to enable our other devices to be used without our preferred form of carrier, (which form is the only one claimed in this patent,) we have described and represented in Figs. l, 4, and 8 another form of carrier, which we will now proceed to explain: The bolt r1 is providedwith two arms or projections r, and the bolt r3 has two recesses, rl', formed therein, in which recesses the arms or projections r6 fall when the slide 1' arrives toward either end of its course, so as to give the required lead to the carrier r* in the next traverse of the slide 1^ across the frame. This is effected by a stop or projection, r2, fixed at each side of the frame, to bars t, which stops or projections have parts r9 formed thereon to act against the under side of the inclined ends V5 of the bolt r1, to raise such bolt as it approaches the one end or the other of its course, and thereby liberate one of the arms or projections r6 from one of the recesses r2, which may, for the time heilig', be acting together. One end of the bolt r3 coming against a stop or projection r2 causes such bolt r2 t`0 stop, while the boltr1 continues its motion for a short distance after an arm, r6, has been disconnected from a recess, r?, and until the other arm r6 has dropped into the other recess r2, in readiness for the next traverse of the carrier r". Another bolt or slide, r1", carried by the slide o', and having formed therein a camcourse, r11, with inclined ends thereto, is carried to and fro with the boltor slide r1, by means of the arms or projections r6, so as to act on the upper end of a link or oonnectingrod, T12. This link 1'12 is connected to a lever, r, mounted on an axis of motion,r14, to which lever the carrierproperx,isconnected. Thus ,ateachendof the traverse ofthe carrier rx, it is caused to dip below the needles a, to carry the thread below on the outside of the outermost needle for the time being in use. The plate r4, to which the lever T13 is connected, is provided with aspring take-up, 115, having an eye formed at the end thereof'. Through this eye, and partly around pins or guides r1, the thread or yarn passes to the carrier rx.

The narrowing apparatus is constructed and operated in the following manner: The bars thave shifters or points tx iixed thereto, which have the necessary iorward-dippin g, sidewise,

and rising motions imparted to them for shifting the loops off the outermost needles ct, and placing them onto other needles a, when required for narrowing. These bars t are carried by arms t1, with capability of sliding end-- wise therein. The arms t1 are keyed or otherwise fixed to a shaft, t2, carried at the upper ends of levers or arms t3, with capability of turning therein. The arms or levers t3v are fixed on a shaft or axis, t4, running from end to end of the machine. On this shaft or axis t" is fixed a lever, t5, on the end of which is mounted a truck or roller, t6, which rests on a concentric disk, t7, when the narrowing apparatus is not required to work, and on a cam, t, when the narrowing apparatus is in action, by which the necessary to-and-fro motions are given to the bars t. On the shaft t2 is fixed a lever, t9, on which is mounted a truck or roller, tw, which, when the narrowing ap-v paratus is not required to work, rests on a concentric disk, t, and when the narrowing apparatus is in action, such truck or roller tw rests on a cam, t12, which gives the necessary up and down or dipping and rising motions to the shifting or point bars t. On the j right hand ends of the bars t, are formed or fixed toothed racks i513, which are taken into and operated by a toothed pinion, a, to cause the shifter-bars to move to and fro endwise, so as to expand or contract them when required. A ratchet-wheel, ul, is also xed on the axis 'u2 of the pinion a, and this ratchet-wheel al is rotated step by step by a elawker, a3, carried by a slide, ux, working in suitable guides carried by the main framing, such clawker being operated by a cam,c4, to move it forward against the ratchet-wheel al, and by a spring, a5, to move such clawker a3 in the contrary direction. The shaft or axis c, is shifted endwise to take the narrowing cams into and out of action by means of Jacquard apparatus in the following manner: o is a Jacquard, which is formed and has cards applied thereto as is now well understood. This Jacquard o, is carried by an axis, 01, fixed in a frame, v2, which is provided with a truck or roller, o3, resting against a cam, o4, by which the Jacquard c is raised and lowered; and, in rising, it' the card which for the time being is in action has no hole formed therein, it raises a pin, 1:5, workin g in suitable guides, the head of which pin acts against the under side of a clawker, c, to raise .it and prevent its acting on a ratchet-wheel, fw, on the axis ot' which is fixed a cam-wheel w; but if a hole is formed in such card opposite the pin v5, then the clawker 'U6 is allowed to act upon and turn the cam-wheel w. In the groove of this cam-wheel w works a stud, w1, from a lever w, which is mounted on an axis of motion, x2, and has another pin or stud, x3, fixed in the end thereof, which stud w3 passes into a groove formed in a wheel, x4, iixed on the cam-shaft c. Thus, as the earn-wheel w is partially rotated, it causes the lever x to turn on its axis of motion a, and by means of the stud w3 moves the camshaft c in the one or the other direction, whereby the cams required to act upon the Various parts for narrowing are taken into or out of position for work, as may be required. In the downward motion of the Jacquard c a clawker, o7, acts upon the pins o to give a partial rotary motion to the Jacquard o, so as to bring a fresh card into action. The clawker @G is pinjointed to the upper end of a lever, 09, which is mounted loosely upon the axis a, and is provided with a truck or pulley, om, which rests against a cam, o, by which it is operated. On the axis u2, of the toothed pinion u is fixed a handle, ai, by which the shifter or point bars t can be moved outward to the full width required after the narrowing has been completed. Fig. 1l is an edge view, and Fig. 12 is a back view of part of a bar of self-acting hooks for hanging on and turniugwelts. These hooks are formed with tumbler-s and with grooves at their backs, as shown, and are used in the following manner When the needles are empty, draw a slack course, then hang on the hooks and work the machine until the required length of work for forming the welt is produced; then let the work down to the stems of the hooks, and place the groove underneath the hooks upon the head of the needles; the work must then be stroked off the hooks onto the needles, which completes the welt. By these means greater facility is afforded in forming the welts.

Having thus described the nature of our said invention, and the mode of carr Ting the same into effect, we would have it understood that the following is what we claim as our i11- vention:

1. The combination of the lockenbarm in the rear end of lever h, the shaft z', liftingarm 11,1, and the cams h2 and h3 upon the main shaft, for ordinary and narrowing operations, respectively.

2. The arrangement, substantially as described, whereby the lifting-bar Z is connected to the hook-barj2, so as to lift the jacks d at the same time that the hooksjrise.

3. The needle-bar a2, supported by rods b1, which project upwardly from a shaft, b, provided with eccentrics b2, said needle-bar a2 being also fixed to arms a3 fastened to a shaft, a4, carried at the upper ends of levers a5, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In combination with the needlebar, and the devices for supporting and operating it, the segment b3, having teeth or notches b4 b5 on its periphery and side, respectively, which teeth b4 receive a gravitating catch or stopelever, 117, and which teeth bE re ceive a springcatch, 116, in order to enable the stiffness ofthe work to be varied and the saine restored after a slack course has been taken, as herein explained.

5. The combination of the elements for reciprocating the'thread-carrier, and those represented in Fig. l0, for giving `the dip to the same, as described.

6. The automatic narrowin g apparatus, con sisting of the devices t to t, inclusive, u to u, inclusive, main shaft c, and Jacquard apparatus Q1 to e, inclusive, substantially as set forth.

VILLIAM CAMPION. WILLIAM CAMPLON. Vitnesses:

FREDERICK Bnnws'rnn, Roer. ROBERTS. 

